The Origin, Flavor Profile, and Processing Method of Asia's First Sun-Dried Mandheling Coffee

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After two and a half years of research and development, Rainforest Coffee and the Aceh coffee region in Indonesia have launched Asia's first natural sun-dried Mandheling coffee. Using the most traditional methods, the finest Arabica coffee beans are manually sun-dried, allowing the beans to naturally ferment and dry under the sun, concentrating fruit aromas and sugars within each bean. The manual process is tedious with a high failure rate, making every bean a testament to the farmers' dedication. We sincerely invite you to taste this FrontStreet Coffee Natural Sun-Dried Mandheling, brimming with sun-kissed fragrance.

What is Natural Sun-Dried Coffee?

Natural sun-dried coffee, also known as the Dry Process, unwashed, or natural coffee, represents the most traditional method of processing coffee beans, originating from Africa. After harvesting, fresh coffee cherries undergo minimal cleaning before being spread across drying patios to dry naturally under sunlight. Because the cherries are vulnerable to climate conditions—improper humidity can cause mold growth and ruin the batch—the entire 10 to 14-day drying process requires constant manual intervention: turning the beans, screening out impurities, and selecting only the finest specimens.

Through meticulous care, the coffee cherries absorb the essence of sunlight, naturally fermenting and drying to concentrate the sweet aromas of the fruit pulp within the beans, resulting in a smooth, sweet-tart flavor profile.

Why is Natural Sun-Dried Coffee Rare?

Beyond requiring sufficient sunny conditions, the high labor costs and lengthy processing time deter most producers from adopting this method. Additionally, quality control presents significant challenges—results can be either exceptional or poor—requiring highly skilled and experienced experts to produce consistently high-quality natural sun-dried coffee beans. Currently, high-quality natural sun-dried beans are primarily found in African regions such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, and Zimbabwe.

Quality Commitment

• Certified by SGS and the Taiwan Sugar Corporation Foundation—guaranteed safe and reliable
• Naturally shade-grown, delivering rich and full-bodied aromas
• Profits contribute to local rainforest research initiatives

Tasting the Difference: Washed vs. Natural Sun-Dried

The primary distinction lies in the fermentation process. The washed method removes the outer skin and pulp, leaving only the coffee bean—the seed of the coffee fruit—which is then dried under full sun for three days until moisture content reaches 12%. This process yields the purest, most original flavor characteristics of the coffee bean. Natural sun-drying, however, elevates the flavor through fermentation, similar to how grapes and soybeans transform into new dimensions of taste through natural fermentation. This method preserves the outer skin and pulp, allowing 14-20 days of semi-shade drying, enabling the coffee fruit's characteristics to fully penetrate the bean, creating captivating bright acidity and fruit aromas.

FrontStreet Coffee's Unique Natural Sun-Dried Mandheling

The traditional processing method for coffee beans in Sumatra's Aceh province typically involves semi-washing—removing the outer skin and allowing the fruit to ferment in tanks for half a day to a full day before washing. Local villages lacked experience and equipment for natural sun-drying, which requires farmers to monitor fermentation status daily—a labor-intensive and time-consuming process. Consequently, each batch of naturally sun-dried coffee beans develops its own unique character with subtle flavor variations. Without the established relationship that Zi Yu has built with local farmers and villages—providing assistance and support—this unique FrontStreet Coffee Natural Sun-Dried Mandheling would never have been born.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473